Improvement in street-lamp reflectors



C. ROBINSON.

Street-Lamp Reector.

No. 165,509- Patemed1u|y13,1s15.

INVENTUR l b j ttor-nay,

CHARLES' ROBINSON, or OAMRRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

`|l'\!lPROVElVlEi\lT IN STREET-'LAMP REFLECTORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 165,509, dated July 13, 1875; application filed June 23, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES ROBINSON, of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Street-Lamp Reflectors; and I do hereby declare that the following is a Iull and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings m aking part of this specification- Figure l being a side view of a street-lamp burner provided with my improved retlector; Fig. 2, a view thereof in elevation at right angles to the view in Fig. l 5 Fig. 3, a vertical section thereof', taken in a plane indicated by the line .r x, Fig. l; Fig. 4, a horizontal section of the same taken in a plane indicated by the line y y, Fig. l.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

In this invention I employ two gas-burners, A A, placed upon cross-extensions a a ot' the gas-pipe B, and midway between these burners I locate a double reflector composed ot' two reflectors, C C, of peculiar construction, and placed back to back, and united substantially as shown, their rellecting-surfaces, respectively, facing the lights of the two burners'. Each retlector|has three plane faces, b and c c, the former being directly back to the other reflector and burner, and the side faces c c being in oblique positions, substantially as represented, so as to distribute the light along the street and sidewalk to the best advantage. The reilectors also lean forward a little to throw the light somewhat downward instead of upward, or even horizontally. Instead of three faces for each reiiector (though l prefer that number) there may be live or other number of faces, suitably Haring apart, to distribute the light to the best advantage. The light can be properly thrown from a concave form of retlectors instead of the planefaee re- Iiectors; but besides the fact that such re- Ilectors concentrate the reflected light in one focus while each separate face reiiects the light to a different place, there are practical difficulties in the employment of concave relectors which render them nearly or wholly unt for this purpose, unless a chimney is used with each burner, which is expensive, inconvenient, and otherwise objectionable. I find by experience that the concave form produces great unsteadiness and flickering of the light when the wind blows, because ofthe shape of the reflector and unequal rarefactioniot' the air, whereas the plane-sided reector rather increases the steadiness of the llame.

For street-corners the two reflectors may face in right-angled directions; or, it' desired, an additional burner and reflector may be employed to face along the cross-street. Or even four might be used in such positions, soas to reflect the light along the Streets in all directions.

The reflectors are secured upon a stem or standard, d, which, in cross-section, is square, or of other angular or equivalent form, which, when inserted to t in a socket, j, on the burner-pipe, will not turn therein, but will always hold the refiectors in the exact positions required to properly reflect the4 light from both burners. The height of the stein d, when so placedin its socket, is just sufficient to bring y the reflectors centrally opposite to the full4 flames of the burners.

The socketf may be cast with, or suitably secured to, the gaspipe or burner-suliport.

Instead ot' the stem d being on the reiiector, and the socketj'on the pipe, the construction ofthe parts may be the converse thereof-the socket on the reflectors, and the receiving projection on the pipe. Not only are the reiiectors G C, with their stem or stems d, thus placed in a socket to hold the redectors exactly in the right position to properly reflect the light, but are made readily removable therefrom, for cleaning or other purpose, and

replaceable therein, so that either side ot the double reflector may be placed opposite -to either burner without care or choice, and no skill is required to replace them. No additional trouble is required in lighting the two burners, the gas being turned onto both burners by turning one valve, and a single match being suicient to light both burners with scarcely a moments additional time.

Byusing two burners I can either produce double the light which one full burner will a'ord, or each burner may use half the usual amount of gas and have half the usual illuminating-power of a single burner, so as not to increase the expense ot' lighting the streets 5 and by the use of these reflectors I greatly enhance the illuminating eft'ect of the lamps.

The reflectors may be made ot' any polished metal suitable for the purpose, or ot' glass silvered or backed with amalgam.

This arrangement of reliectors and lights is lectors, C C, made of plane-faces b c c, concavely arranged and placed between the burners, being removable and replaceable at will, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

The above specification signed by me this also applicable in some other positions be- 22d day of March,185.

sides in street-lamps.

What I. claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a street-lamp, the combination, with two 0r more gas-burners7 A A, of two or more :re-

GHARLES ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

H. L. HAZELTON, RICHARD OBERY. 

